Employers in Colorado added 7,100 nonfarm payroll jobs from December to January for a total of 2,342,900 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased 8,200 and government decreased 1,100.

According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate decreased two-tenths of a percentage point to 7.3 percent. The number of people actively participating in the labor force increased 6,000 to 2,753,500 and total employment increased 11,800 to 2,552,800 causing the number of unemployed to decline 5,800. The national unemployment rate increased one-tenth of one percentage point over the same period to 7.9 percent.

Over the year, the average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls decreased from 35.0 to 34.3 hours and average hourly earnings increased from $24.55 to $25.20.

The largest over the month private sector job gains were in trade, transportation and utilities and construction. Manufacturing declined by 1,200 jobs.

Over the year, nonfarm payroll jobs increased 57,000 with an increase of 54,200 in the private sector and an increase of 2,800 in government. The largest private sector job gains were in professional and business services, trade, transportation and utilities, and leisure and hospitality. Information is the only sector with significant over the year losses.

Over the year, the unemployment rate is down one percentage point from 8.3 percent in January 2012. The number of Coloradans participating in the labor force increased 12,000, total employment increased 38,100 and the number of unemployed decreased 26,100. The national unemployment rate declined from 8.3 to 7.9 percent from January 2012 to January 2013.